The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1887-11-24

T on farms since 1884. Ihe editor
Of the Batesville Panolian, himself
an eyewitness, shall tell how they
dre treated on railroad works:
The stencil Of the blockades was
very offensive, even to those who
frequented the camps. Within this
miserable place the sick were
crowded with the noisy herd. On
midsummer Sunday evenings the
writer has seen the painful express
sion on the deathly-sick face ofthe
poor convict as he lay in this hot,
restless, noisy crowd with nothing
but his blanket between him and
the rough boards OF which his
bunk was made; and Moreover, the
intolerable heat was increased by
fire in the cooking stove.
We once heard an appeal from a
sick man to a guard answered by
Cd d-n you, if you don't shut
up I'll put load Of buck shot into
you One man was shot through
with four buck shot by guard
and lay with his bleeding wounds
undressed until the citizens heard
Of it and went to the camp to at
tend to his necessities. The camp
physician saw him Immediately af-
ter he was shot, but, instead Of
dressing his wounds, left orders
tor wet cloths to be put on them
when certain party came. il
was not certain that he would be
there for hours
Such testimony could be dupli.
Gated over and over again. The
grand jury ofHinds county, the
State board Of inspectors and Mrs
Erwin, president of the State W,
c. 7. T., draw pictures almost
equally revolving and barbaric
But as if Mississippi shame were
not already deep enough, the les.
sees treat only the poor and help
less thus. The richer class Of con,
viots are made guards and allowed
to dress in citizens clothes. There
is an instance where a kinsmaR oi
one Of the lessees had committed
murder, but was, nevertheless
furnished with a gun and permit
ted TO escort as a guard three other
convlcts more than 100 miles on O
train. There was nothing to pre-
vent his escape, except the hope
of pardon, which he, in fact soor
after received.
Again, compare the following
death rate of the friendless negro
convict with the befriended white
Year. white Death Rate. Negro Death Rat,
1880 .... 4S9 9.A
1882 ..... 27O 1852
While in another year the negro
death rate amounted to nineteen
in the hundred, but the white wa,
only fraction over two.
There is absolutely no check tc
these abuses, as all the guards and
officers are either paid by the les
sees or appointed under their intlu
ence, and related to them.
1t were impossible to point out
the moral evils Of the system. In
fact, It makes the pehitentiary q
university ofvillainy, bringing in
to closest companionship criminals
of all classes and grades, giving nc
inducement or even opportunity
for reform. On the contrary il
treats the convict in such manner
that his heart must be brimmeG
with bureing throbbing hatred
for a society and a law that toler
ates such a system. IncarceratC
Gods purest angel of heaven il
the Mississippi penitentiary ant
be will come out demon damned
All this Mississippi did for money
and yet to-day she is suing thos,
same lessees for $4,000 which
they owe on the lease, and grieve,
over 10000 other dollars which
the Legislature of 1886 says wal
indirectly stolen by these lesseet
from her treasury
THos. DABNEY MARSHALL.
The times are out OF joint. Ocear